Key-ring



(M odeL) J. s. BIRCH.

Key-Ring.

Patented April 20,1880.

ill nllllll I l I I! 'kPErERS. PHOTO-LITMOQRAPNER, WASHING-TON, n O.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. BIRCH, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

KEY-RING.

SJBEOIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,702, dated April 20, 1880.

Application filed March 3, 1880.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, JOHN S. BIRCH, of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rings for Holding Keys and other Articles, of which the following isa specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the upper part enlarged.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish rings so constructed that keys and other articles can be conveniently placed upon and removed from them, and which will not be liable to become opened accidentally.

The invention consists in constructing the key-ring of a strip of metal bent into V form, with rounded angle, having its end parts bent inward and outward to form shoulders, having one ofits ends longer than the other and bent into U form, and having a lug upon one end and a recess in the other end and, also, in the peculiar construction of the lug and recess, to prevent the ring from being opened by accidental pressure,as will be hereinafter fully described.

A represents a strip of steel or other metal having the requisite elasticity. The middle part of the strip A is bent into V form, with a rounded angle, B, as shown in Fig. 1, so that a key, while upon the ring A, can be readily worked in a lock. The end parts of the strip A are curved inward tilltheynearly meet, and are then bent outward, forming shoulders C. One of the ends, D, of the strip A is made longer than the other end, E, and is bent into U form, so that its end may overlap the end E without reaching quite to the shoulders (J of the said end E, as shown in Figs. land 2. Upon one of the ends D E is formed a lug, F, and upon the other end is formed a recess, G, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to prevent the said (ModeL) ends from having alateral movement upon each other, and also to allow the ring to be used as a lever in turningthe key. Thelower end of the lug F is made with an outward inclination or hook, and the lower end of the recess G is made with a corresponding inclination or socket, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the end D must be pressed downward and the end E inward, to open the ring and allow the keys to be put on and taken off. This construction prevents the ring from being opened by accidental pressure while being carried in the pocket.

Both the projection F and the cavity G are formed in the extremities of the ring by punching, so that the metal will not be broken or weakened, as it is liable to be, when portions of the metal are cut out, as in the ordinary construction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A ring constructed substantially as herein shown and described,-consisting of a metal strip, A. having its middle part bent into V shape, with rounded angle B, having its end parts bent inward and upward to form shoulders 0, having one of its ends, D, made longer than the other end, E, and bent into U form to overlap the said other end, E, and having a lug, F, and a recess, Gr,formed in the said yends, to serve as a catch, as set forth.

2. In a ring bent into V form, with shoulders O and overlapping ends D E, the catch formed of the hook-lug F and the socket-recess G, substantially as herein shown and described, to lock the ring and prevent it from being opened by accidental pressure, as set forth.

JOHN S. BIRCH.

Witnesses JAMES T. GRAHAM,

O. SEDGWICK. 

